PT Cruiser reliability - how does it compare?

[johnnylightning86]

Originally Posted by fritz t coyote

With American engines you can expect oil consumption of about a quart every 2000 miles when new, more as they age.

When they get really old, one quart every tank of gas. Thats a sign it is getting on to replacement time.

Where did you get this information from? My experience has been exactly the opposite - it was the imports that burned oil - one of mine was a 75 Datsun that burned 4 qts of oil evert 1000 miles almost from day one and was bought brand new. All of my American cars have been very normal and consistent on oil consumption with the exception of my 85 Dodge Ram in the past few years which I contribute more due to age than anything else - I am sure it's the valve stem seals simply getting old.

My 2004 PT has over 44K on the odo and I drive 80 miles every day. I am glad to say that since I got it in May and put over 3K miles on it, it has not burned a drop of oil and has averaged 30+ mpg. I have been driving FWD Chryslers since 1986 and none of them ever burned more than a 1 qt of oil between regular 5000 miles oil changes of which all of them were driven well over 100K miles. In fact, our 2000 Caravan just rolled 114K miles and the only problem I've had with it is the starter of which my wife does a lot of short trips into town with a lot of stops and starts - so I think that is pretty good considering the way it's driven. When I went in to get the starter, another guy was there that was getting a starter for a 99 Honda which had about the same mileage on it as our Caravan - price for the Honda starter was $280, price for the Dodge starter was $120 - and I'd bet good money that he paid more for the Honda than I did for the Caravan. So how's that for so-called import reliability and lower cost of ownership?

[PTnut]

I've owned foreign cars all my life and never had an oil burning problem except in my '70 Toyota that had a broken oil ring. Believe it or not, it just went to the junk yard about 5 years ago. My PT is the first American brand name car I have had. As far as I'm concerned, no new car should burn any oil. My '85 Honda had over 100K and never burned a drop of oil. I'd still have it if it didn't get wrecked, but now I have an '07 Suzuki SX4. So far it's doing really good.

[2_2COOL]

PT Nut, some early 2001's were built with the wrong valve cover ( I think, it was a neon part accidentally used if memory serves) . This caused excessive oil consumption!!Do a search on the PTCC forums & maybe you'll find the info you need?! I remember it being discussed back then.
My PT burned oil for the first 10K miles & I worried I had one of the missbuilt ones. Now that it's over 7 years old & has 85+K it doesn't burn any at all, hardly!

Weak link wih my PT was the selenoid for the A/T. replaced that bad boy a BUNCH of times. Finally they found it was actually a short somewhere in the transmission sensor wiring. Besides that I've been through normal routine maintenance items, 2 batteries, a heater core, a radiator,oil pan & gasket, recalled items, a frozen DS brake caliper, a set of rotors, and 3 sets of brake pads. All items covered under warranty , service contract, or extended warranty (except 2 sets of brake pads & the rotors).

[04stocker]

Why do folks consider the PT an "American car"
Company is German owned and the car is assembled
in Mexico
No longer a member of "the big 3"

[PTRich]

Actually, they've escaped from the Germans and it's only a formality before they'll be majority American owned again...

[Bosch]

Originally Posted by 2_2COOL

PT Nut, some early 2001's were built with the wrong valve cover ( I think, it was a neon part accidentally used if memory serves) .

It was a windage tray in the valve cover that caused the oil to burn badly.. Mine has used a 1/4 of a quart of oil between changes since the first one. Consistent so I don't bother trying to find it.. Its 7 years old and never left me stranded, scared a couple of times but I decided it should go home on a truck rather than drive it. And I just keep pounding on that car and it keeps running.. But in a month or so it will be reitred to live with my mom, who is much more of a gentle driver than I.

You think about it these cars are tossed together in less than 8hrs start to finish.. I wonder why more of them are not messed up..

[mkaresh]

Originally Posted by 30coupe

I would help out, but I just bought my 2001 yesterday. Hopefully it will be reliable.

I thought I responded to this earlier, but now see no response.

Anyway, when you first buy a car is the best time to sign up. I only collect data going forward, to minimize bias.

I'm not collecting data on any PT yet because not enough owners are signed up. But a number of model years are now getting close to the minimum.

[mkaresh]

Just five short of the minimum for my PT's year now--2002. 2003 only six short.

For the details:

Vehicle reliability research

[mkaresh]

Just three owners short of starting with the 2003 now.

Just put nearly $800 into my wife's 2002, mostly into the front brakes (new rotors and calipers). Also replaced lower control arm bushings, though those were only $225.

[mkaresh]

2002, 2003, and 2005 all close to the minimum needed to get started now.

(BTW: still very happy that I was able to get the lower control arm bushings taken care of for $225.)